Playing God. Project: Artificial Muscle
When the science of biology pushes the envelope, like when we determine aspects of our babies or cause human ears to grow on mice, we are Playing God. This is a series that explore those advances.
Anytime there is a synthetic body part, my ears perk up. A synthesized eyeball? A fabricated tongue? A man-made liver? Wha? I must learn about it.
Well, researchers at University of California, L.A. have taken a technology used in Japan to generate electricity from ocean waves and applied it to artificial muscles. What would that make? A self-healing, electricity-generating muscle. Holy. Moly. Sounds like success to me.
Anytime there is a synthetic body part, my ears perk up. A synthesized eyeball? A fabricated tongue? A man-made liver? Wha? I must learn about it.Well, researchers at University of California, L.A. have taken a technology used in Japan to generate electricity from ocean waves and applied it to artificial muscles. What would that make? A self-healing, electricity-generating muscle. Holy. Moly. Sounds like success to me.
These muscles are made from nanotubes, which are pretty much the future of everything (i.e., computing, pharmaceutical delivery, clothing, lasers, happiness). The problem with muscles up until now is that they are made of metal films (usually) that become damaged when they expand and contract (which is what muscles have to do, after all).
These nanotubes can expand more than 200% when an electricity is applied to them, which is significant. What usually happens with current models, though, is that these metallic films become damaged from activity and the tears disrupt the surrounding "muscle." This new structure, though, has been poked and damaged. That nanotube shuts itself off, though, and stops conducting electricity. Wicked smaht.
Another bonus to the innovative nanotube structure is that it is amazingly efficient. Other artificial muscles bleed energy, so to speak, whereas this one conserves about 70% of the energy put into it. Not only is that amazing, but the very alignment of the nanotubes means you can harness that energy. Discovery News (reporting on an article in January's issue of Advanced Materials) suggests that captured juice could be used to charge electronics, like an iPod. So sassy.
Any step towards understanding and controlling complicated human body parts like self-healing, energy-conserving artificial muscles is a step closer to Playing God.
These nanotubes can expand more than 200% when an electricity is applied to them, which is significant. What usually happens with current models, though, is that these metallic films become damaged from activity and the tears disrupt the surrounding "muscle." This new structure, though, has been poked and damaged. That nanotube shuts itself off, though, and stops conducting electricity. Wicked smaht.
Another bonus to the innovative nanotube structure is that it is amazingly efficient. Other artificial muscles bleed energy, so to speak, whereas this one conserves about 70% of the energy put into it. Not only is that amazing, but the very alignment of the nanotubes means you can harness that energy. Discovery News (reporting on an article in January's issue of Advanced Materials) suggests that captured juice could be used to charge electronics, like an iPod. So sassy.
Any step towards understanding and controlling complicated human body parts like self-healing, energy-conserving artificial muscles is a step closer to Playing God.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm most looking forward to artificial feet, 'cause mine get tired out from kicking so much ass.
I'm the best blogger, ever.
- JLF
I could use some new eyes. They get worse as I get older.
Oh yeah, also, a return of my tush from around 10 years ago. Number two, make it so.
I think the world needs artificial hearts!
We have those, Jenn. We have those...
Oops! ;-)